Two seemingly contradictory ideas are at the heart of the communal kitchen and dining room at DuEast condos in Toronto’s Regent Park neighbourhood: togetherness and privacy. “The project is trying to integrate quite a few different communities together, and we wanted to create spaces that people from multiple groups would feel comfortable in,” says Stanley Sun, partner at Toronto’s Mason Studio, which designed the building’s interior spaces. “We wanted it to not just be for groups who all know each other and book out the entire space, but also multiple smaller groups of people at the same time.”
Sun achieved this goal by subtly delineating zones within the space. A large communal table separates the kitchen from the living area, which lends the impression of physical distance. The island, with sections at both dining- and counter-height, can accommodate various uses simultaneously, so one group could be eating a meal while another mingles, drinks in hand. A dramatically “tiled” portion of the floor helps create visual separation between the kitchen and the living area, which also has a different finish on the ceiling — wood panelling — to further demarcate the space.
Robustness was also top of mind. The grey-hued cabinetry is laminate, while the base of the island is a hard-wearing yet elegant brushed bronze. Slabs of dark marble on the island and back wall anchor the space — but, Sun says, also have a leathered finish for durability (an important factor in a space used by many) and a slightly weathered feel to contrast the otherwise modern aesthetic. “We didn’t necessarily want everything to feel as though it’s perfect and pristine,” Sun says.
Similarly, leather-upholstered bar stools will acquire a rich patina over time, and, overhead, Rich Brilliant Willing’s geometric Witt chandelier adds a sense of playfulness. “We selected it because the overall form of the space is quite rigid,” Sun adds. “It threw in the misalignment and irregularity that we felt the room needed.”
The end result is a design that can hold up to heavy use but still feels connected to the building’s private living spaces. “We recognize that, in a condo, the units are quite minimal for entertaining. We want people to feel as though they could walk out of their unit, come down here and still feel comfortable,” Sun says. “It’s an extension of home.”
How Toronto’s Mason Studio created a convivial kitchen in Regent Park’s DuEast condos.